Joostenberg Bistro

Monday, October 6th, 2014

Reviewed by Charlene van der Hoeven

*******VERY BAD Experience************. Supposedly being a child friendly venue - while seated outside my 5 year old son excitedly showed his Grandma a short video (normal volume) of the horse and cart ride he has just been on at Klein Joostenbergvlakte Bistro, when the restaurant manageress Susan Dehosse, pounced on us and asked us to switch off the phone because it was annoying. I was floored by her arrogance and inability to speak in a courteous manner. There was no one behind us, at the far end was a table with happy laughing kids and infront of us was 2 happy ladies enjoying the jovial spirits of the kids (ours aswell). I can just Imagine what would have happened if my 1 and a half year old son started to cry there, would she have slapped him to get him to keep quiet. Afterwards, we went up to her and said that we did not appreciate the manner by she addressed our child, she arrogantly said she was not addressing our child but addressing us (she was looking at our 5 year old son while speaking and who then afterwards asked me mom, why did the lady say I am annoying? (We don't even subject him to dialogue like that at home). I asked her who found it annoying did she or the customers - all she could answer was "I am sure the customers found it annoying" (again using her arrogant tone) We as parents are always tuned in to respect others around us and we are quite sensitive to our kids noise levels and usually manage it well not to intrude on the comfort of others (as those with small kids would be able to relate to this). I told her, it was not what she said but the way she said it, she just looked at us with a straight face and blurted out "but it was annoying". In this day and age I never thought we would come across such rudeness in the service industry, it still exists, it exists at Klein Joostenbergvlakte Bistro. She is in their Family Business and got the opportunity to run the Bistro because she was born into it but this still gives her no right to treat others with disrespect. Who should I report her to, her dad? She'll probably tell him to shut up as well. What a beautiful venue but how spoilt the memory...... :(